Sandoval, Heck give Barclaycard a hero’s welcome in Henderson

Barclaycard US is moving a credit-card call center into Zappos' former headquarters in Henderson, as seen above on Dec. 17, 2013.

Elected officials credited a team effort among state and local economic development leaders for Thursday’s opening of a Barclaycard US call center at the Green Valley Corporate Center in Henderson.

Gov. Brian Sandoval, Rep. Joe Heck, Clark County Commissioner Mary Beth Scow, Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen and three members of the Henderson City Council were among the dignitaries at the afternoon ribbon-cutting event that drew about 100 people to Barclaycard’s newest call center, the first west of the Mississippi.

“It’s very humbling for me for Barclaycard to come and choose our state because we they had a lot of other choices they could go,” said Sandoval, who has made economic diversification and job creation one of his administration’s top priorities.

“I had the privilege of getting to tour the facility and the first class (of new employees) is training right now," Sandoval said. “We’re going to have 400 Nevadans who were not working before who will now be working. There was one young lady in the class who simply told me, ‘I got a job.’”

Heck also welcomed the company to the area, showing he’s already a customer by flashing his blue credit card.

By the end of the year, 400 people will be employed at the call center and, when fully operational, the center will have 1,000 workers.

Patrick Wright, chief operating officer of Wilmington, Del.-based Barclaycard US, said his company has a track record for giving back to the community through volunteerism. Wright also announced that the company has made a $10,000 contribution to the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, which provides life skills for underprivileged youth, including financial literacy.

Barclaycard US takes over space once leased by Zappos.com, which moved its headquarters to downtown Las Vegas.

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